Edited press release from Longines Global Champions Tour

“It’s two days, two wins. So really, it couldn't be better," Sweden's Henrik von Eckermann – current world number one – said after Iliana (Cardento x Gentleman) claimed the top spot in Saturday's CSI5* 1.55m Qatar’s Years of Culture as Part of the Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture Prix at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Rabat (MAR) after also taking the victory in Friday's first GCL competition, the CSI5* 1.55m presented by Qatar Museum. 

Von Eckermann delivered a flawless jump-off in 39.92, beating Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Elwikke (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Quick Star) by 0.21 seconds. Third place saw Belgium’s Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo and Deesse des Embruns (Mylord Carthago x Orame) put the pedal to the metal with the top three all finishing within a second of each other in a jump-off between fifteen horse-and-rider-combinations. 

“I left the door a little open to the last jump, but I was happy that Maikel did go for eight to the last as he would have been faster - everything went my way today and Iliana jumped really well," von Eckermann said. “I knew that the eight to the last was there, but for my plan today, it didn’t suit. She is a very fast horse in general, so I was hoping that it was all on my side today.”